Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for simulating a Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) laser ablation treatment.
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition wherein continued growth of the prostate restricts the passage of urine through the lower portion of the bladder and the urethra. BPH is often treated by surgically removing excess prostate tissue from the transitional zone of the prostate that is pressing on the urethra, which usually relieves the bladder outlet obstruction and incomplete emptying of the bladder caused by the BPH.
One procedure that is performed to remove excess prostate tissue involves vaporizing or ablating the targeted tissue using a surgical laser system. Such a system typically includes a laser energy source, an endoscope, such as a cystoscope or similar instrument (hereinafter “cystoscope”), a viewing fiber and a laser fiber. The laser fiber includes an optical fiber configured to deliver the laser energy from the laser energy source to targeted tissue of the prostate, and a side-firing probe tip at the distal end, which deflects laser energy sideways from a polished beveled surface or other conventional structure. The viewing fiber includes light and imaging guides for illuminating and imaging the tissue so that the clinician may direct the laser light and assess the progress and efficacy of the ablation procedure. The viewing fiber allows the surgeon to identify the targeted tissue, and view the ablation process. The cystoscope also has channels for supplying and removing an irrigant solution to and from the ablation site.
During the BPH laser ablation treatment, the clinician must carefully control the exposure of the targeted tissue to laser energy. This requires the placement of the distal tip of the laser fiber within 1-2 millimeters of the targeted tissue. The laser energy is delivered through the distal tip of the laser fiber as the laser fiber is moved by the clinician relative to the targeted tissue, such as by rotating the laser fiber by hand. If the laser fiber is moved too slowly, the targeted tissue may receive too high of a dosage of the laser energy, and if the laser fiber is moved too quickly, the targeted tissue may receive too low of a dosage of the laser energy.
To achieve clinical proficiency at performing the BPH laser ablation treatment, the clinician must practice the treatment. Typically, such practice involves the performance of the BPH laser ablation treatment on live or dead tissue using the actual laser surgical system. Unfortunately the availability of the laser surgical system for practice is often limited. Additionally, setting up the laser surgical system for the practice session, performing multiple practice BPH laser ablation treatments, assessing the performance of the clinician, and cleaning up the system can be time-consuming and costly.